Not Growing Up
by Alithea
Summary: Shoujo-ai Content. May contain Spoilers for episode 19 of the T.V. series. Minamo and Yukari reflect on becoming adults.


**Title: Not Growing Up  
****Rating: PG-13  
****The characters of Azumanga Daioh do not belong to me I am just borrowing.  
****Shoujo-ai Content  
****Spoiler warning: Contains slight spoiler for episode 19.  
****Author's Note: This is pretty short and I may or may not elaborate on this later. For now please except it as it is a brief look into a relationship.**

As they sat beneath the tree, cherry blossoms gently snowing down upon them and beer cans cluttered about their feet, a silence grew that pulsed with a feeling of unwanted seriousness. Yukari hated being serious, but it seemed that there was no choice except to act in a manner she did not always subscribe to. She took a sip from her can of beer and finding it empty she tossed it aside and sighed heavily. Her companion looked her over, face slightly flush from the alcohol, although not as flush as the English teacher's was, and most likely was going to get.

"Are you going to do it," Yukari asked solemnly and reached for another nearby can that was also empty. Sobriety was not something she wanted to mix with the conversation she was about to indulge in.

The P.E. instructor shrugged, "What exactly?"

"The arranged marriage."

"Oh that...," she shook her head and replied, "I...I still don't know. I mean it's... It's a good match and he seems-"

"Idiot," Yukari whispered. "Nyamo, my friend, you are such a fool sometimes."

"Excuse me! The pot calling the kettle black?"

Yukari shifted her gaze to meet with the indignant tone of her colleague. This was not what she wanted to be doing. She wanted to be having fun. She always liked having a good time, which was why she never had any money, well that and because she insisted on making bets that she would lose. Her want for fun was also what tended to make her extraordinarily foolish looking, although her rock hard stubbornness was likely a factor there as well (not that she would ever admit that out loud or even to herself). She sat up and then removed her gaze leaning her head back against the trunk of the tree as a blossom fluttered down to touch her cheek.

"Why do you want to get married, Nyamo?"

"I have to grow up sometime. I have to... take on that responsibility, have a family... besides you're the one who's always going on about how we never have boyfriends and that no one will ever marry us."

"Correction, you... You will never have a boyfriend and you will never find anyone to marry you."

The athletic instructor sighed and shook her head. She did not quite understand the point of the conversation. She took another sip from her can of beer and waited for a further explanation.

"What would be wrong with never growing up," was the sudden question, "Why not keep going on like we're still in high school?"

"Because the world doesn't allow it, because we have to be responsible for ourselves and our futures. Yukari, we just can't go on having fun forever, there are responsibilities that-"

"If you say that word one more time I'll have no choice but to throw these empty cans at you," she interrupted. "You aren't listening to me and you aren't paying attention," she sighed and shook her head, "because you are a dense thick headed P.E. teacher who never thinks past what you see."

"What?"

It was hopeless. This was worse than that time with the love letter only the situation was reversed and she was the one being the dense moron. She usually did fill that roll; it was just in her nature to be a bit manic, emotional, and, well, childlike. So with a big shot of courage that did not, for once, come from the alcohol she was consuming, or the idea of winning large amounts of cash, Yukari shifted her position so that she was on her knees.

Minamo looked up at her with slight confusion that died away as Yukari brought her lips down to meet hers.

Since high school, late in their junior year, there was this act of intimacy (and it would lead to nothing and it would lead to late nights one or both women would fight to forget in order to save their hearts the ache it would cause). It was not something they spoke of except for right before it was going to happen. It was just something that occurred when both had a little too much too drink, or not enough. Or when... well there were plenty of excuses that sprang to mind and fell like the blossoms in the spring until the ground of their relationship was covered in them.

The kiss was sweet and light and meant to be a wake up call. It could not, however, be accepted as one. They pulled away from each other hoping no one was watching (no one ever was).

"You've had too much to drink, Yukari."

"No, I haven't had enough."

"It can't be this way."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"No, I don't."

Minamo finally grew impatient her voice rising, "The last time we had this conversation-"

"I was wrong."

"It's too late Yukari, we can't go back."

"Your reasoning is not reaching me."

"It never does," she grinned and then frowned, and then shook her head sadly. "It just can't continue this way because you-"

"Don't blame me for your fears."

"They used to be yours. I don't think I want to go through you changing your mind when Mr. Right walks through your door again."

"I can promise-"

"No, you can't. You can never keep them, not any of them."

"I promised I'd always be your friend even if you were a moronic P.E. teacher who couldn't grasp languages and would never ever have a boy friend. I promised you that when we met."

There were words trying to form in Minamo Kurosawa's mouth that just could not find a way to usher forth.

When she was sixteen years old she thought she was in love. She thought she knew what she wanted for always and she thought she could get it. She wrote a perfectly beautiful letter and decided that if she left it in the locker of the one she wanted...well... she thought she would be well rewarded. Things did not exactly turn out in her favor.

When she was in college and found herself having the same strong feelings she had in high school she tried a more direct and adult approach. That worked a little better although not in her favor really, because it was decided that things between her and Yukari were what they were. It was just a bit of fun, something to do when the mood struck, when too much was had to drink, and when... the world was pounding against their doors. It was decided that they were just friends and that that was that.

She was not sure she could accept a change in the verdict. Her heart was not sure it could survive if something changed again. And since she was the more mature of the two she felt she had to put her foot down about the entire issue. She felt, and her feelings always betrayed her.

She closed her eyes and sensed her friend's impatient glare upon her. With a shrug she reached for another can of beer only to find empties. Minamo grinned then, perhaps putting her foot down was not needed; perhaps the matter needed further deliberation. Perhaps...and she let her concerns glide away for a moment so she could address her friend.

"Tell you what Yukari...buy me another round and I'll consider it."

Brown eyes blinked back in confusion, "Consider what?"

"Not growing up."

End?


End file.
